Refrigerated evaporator shelf



Dec. 16, 1947. F. D. PELTIER .4

' REFRIGERATED EVAPORATOR SHELF 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 30, 1944 Dec.'16, 1947. F. n. PELTIER REFRIGERATED EVAPORATOR SHELF Filed May 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 16, 1941 2,432,931 REFRIGERATED EVAPORATOR SHELF Frank D.

Peltier, Horsham, Pa.,

assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 30,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the evaporator elements of mechanical refrigerators, and more particularly of refrigerators of domestic type.

One object of the invention is to provide an evaporator of the type adapted for operation at temperatures below the freezing point of water, having novel and effective means for facilitatin defrosting.

To, this end, the invention'contemplates provision of an evaporator of the aforesaid type constituting an element of a main refrigerating system and having a detachable portion, or portions,

1944, Serial No. 538,060

comprising a closed secondary refrigerant circuit and arranged for operative association of the said circuit with the main system.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide an evaporator of the stated type having a detachable shelf member comprising a closed independent refrigerant system, wherein provision is made for mounting the shelf in the evaporator structure in a manner effecting an intimate thermal transfer relation between the said closed system and the main refrigerating system of which the evaporator constitutes an element.

Still another object of vide an evaporator structure of a type designed for refrigeration of frozen foods and the like wherein those portions of the structure which are more accessible to moisture-laden air are made as readily detachable parts which may be removed from the refrigerator for defrosting purposes, thereby materially extending the periods of continuous use between general defrosting operations. 1

To'this latter, end the invention contemplates the provision of an evaporator structure shaped to provide a low temperature frozen fOOds compartment of the top access type, said structure having in the upper portion thereof one or more detachable shelves incorporating an independent closed refrigerating system which, when the shelf is installed in the evaporator structure, is in intimate heat'transfer relation with the'main refrigerating system with which the evaporator is directly associated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel shelf structure of the aforesaid character incorporating an independent closed the invention is to pro- I tural and mechanical 'trating the manner able shelf shown in refrigerant circuit and designed for operative association with the evaporator of a refrigerating system as set forth.

The invention further resides in certain strucdetails hereinafter described, including novel means for supporting the aforesaid shelf in the evaporator structure and for breaking the frost bond between the shelf and the said structure when the shelf is to be removed.

In the attached drawings:

Figure l is a view in perspective of an evaporator made in accordance with the invention, said evaporator being of a type adapted for use in mechanical refrigerators of the domestic type;-

Figure 2 is a view in perspectiveof the detachable shelf element which, in accordance with the invention, is provided with an independent closed refrigerant circuit;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illusin which the shelf is supported in the evaporator sth'ucture;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view showing a portion of a domestic refrigerator incorporating a low temperature compartment for frozen foods and provided with an evaporator for cooling said compartment constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of one of the detachable shelf elements of the evaporator structure shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view illustrating the manner in which the shelf illustrated in Figure 5 is supported in the evaporator structure, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a device by means of which the detach- Figures 5 and 6 can be freed from the body of the evaporator structure, or can be supported in a position to reduce the rate of heat transfer between the primary refrigerating system and the secondary system of the ,detachable shelf.

With reference first to Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, the evaporator therein illustrated comprises a U-shaped body I having in the upper portions of the opposite side walls 2 and 3 thereof, respectively, a refrigerant intake manifold chamber 4 and a discharge manifold chamber 5. Below the manifold It, the wall 2 is provided with a passage 6 arranged in substantially horizontal convolutions, said passage communiupper part of the wall.

In the present instance, the U-shaped body of the evaporator is composed 9 secured together in face-to-face relation, the said plates, or one of them, having recesses which form the manifold chambers and passages described above.

In the present side, walls 2 In accordance with the present invention, the evaporator is provided with a detachable shelf designated generally by the reference numeral I 3, see Figure 2. form, in the present instance, of a shallow U-shaped structure having a plurality of channels I 9 is pressed outwardly each of the chambers l4, l4, those portions of the passages I! which communicate with the chamjecting. walls of the chambers These projecting walls of the chambers 14 constitute elements of the means of metal plates 8 andsimilarly close contact with the inner faces of the walls 2 and 3 of ticles placed upon the No. 515,950, filed December 28, 1943.

The top of the access opening 3| is defined by a detachable shelf 32, this shelf being slidably supported upon rails 33, 33 on the inner faces of the side walls 21 28 of the evaporator. A

As shown also in Figure 4, the walls of the h refrigerant pascompressor 42, return flow to the compressor taking place through upon thes passages, as indicated in Figures 6 and 'l, extending in the wall 28 to a point closely adjoining the upper end thereof so that this entire wall is directly associated with the primary refrigerating system.

Each of the shelves 32 and 34 is provided with a system of passages 43, indicated by dotted lines in Figures 4 and 5, which form in each ofthe shelves a closed secondary refrigerant circuit. These passages extend to the vertical walls 34 and 33 of the said shelves and are thereby brought into intimate thermal transfer relation with the passages 39 of the primary system in the wall 28 of the evaporator. Thus, each of the shelves comprises a secondary refrigerating system which constitutes an integral part of the shelf structure.

These refrigerated shelves, forming in effect.

detachable elements of the evaporator structure, are located in the upper part of the structure immediately above the top of the compartment 26 and in a relatively exposed position with respect to moisture-laden air within the refrigeratedchamber. They function in effect as baffles interrupting the normal flow of the moist air into relatively cold interior of the compartment 26 so that the moisture will tend to condense in the form of frost upon the surfaces of the shelves rather than on the walls of the compartment. A major part of the frost deposit therefore forms shelves which, by reason of their detachable nature, may readily be removed for purpose of defrostation. This device makes possible long periods of continuous operation without general defrostings.

In order to facilitate removal of the shelves, each is provided at the lower end of the vertical wall, 34 and 38, respectively, with a rock shaft 44, said shaft having thereon one or more cams 45 which, when the shaft is rocked, exerts pressure against the wall 28 to force the shelf away from the latter. Each of the rods 44 may be provided with a suitable handle or knob 46 at its forward end. By this means, the frost bond between the shelves and the wall 28 may be readily broken. Another function of the cams 45 is to retain the vertical walls of the shelves in more or less remote position to the refrigerated wall 23, as shown, for example, in Figurel, to reduce the rate of thermal transfer between the primary and secondary systems and to thereby regulate the local temperatures ofthe shelves.

It will be noted by reference to Figure 4 that the interior space of the refrigerator is divided by a double walled horizontal partition 41 positioned in the present instance somewhat above the upper shelf 34. The chamber below'the shelf 41 thus constitutes a low temperature storage space with the top access freezing compartment 26 at the bottom thereof. As previously set forth, by reason of the relatively exposed position of the secondary shelves 32 and 34, these shelves will normally receive a major part of the frost deposit within the low temperature compartment. By reason of the removability of the -shelves the low temperature compartment may be kept relatively free from frost deposits adevaporator, structure with the said side walls thereof in thermal transfer relation with said structure and with the bottom wall free from such relation, and a closed refrigerant circuit in said shelf having portions thereof in said side walls and in the bottom wall respectively.

2. In an evaporator for refrigerating systems, a detachable shelf comprising a bottom and elevated opposite side portions, channels in said side and bottom portions constituting elements of a closed refrigerant circuit, one of the channels in each of said side portions having a wall projecting beyond the outer side surface of said side portion, and oppositely disposed recesses in said evaporator arranged for coaction with the said projecting walls of the channels to detachably support the shelf with the said closed refrigerant circuit in intimate thermal relation with said evaporator.

3. An evaporator for refrigerating systems, said evaporator comprising a substantially U-shaped body having refrigerant circulating channels in the sides thereof, a shelf having upwardly. extending side portions and channels forming a closed refrigerant circuit, said channels extending from the lower portions of the shelf into the said side portions, and means on said side portions and on the sides of said evaporator for detachably supporting the shelf with the said side portions thereof in intimate heat transfer relation with the channeled sides of the evaporator body.

4. An evaporator for refrigerating systems having in the lower portion thereof an opentopped bin constituting a low temperature food compartment, one wall at least of said bin extending upwardly above the top of the latter, a member comprising a closed refrigerant circuit, and means for supporting said member in position overlying the top of said bin and with a relatively elevated portion of said closed circuit in thermal transfer relation with said wall.

5. An evaporator for refrigerating systems, said evaporator comprising alow temperature frozen food compartment having a top access opening, and having side walls extended upwardly above said opening, a member comprising a closed refrigerant circuit, and'ineans for detachably supporting the member between said evaporator wall extensions in position overlying said opening and with a portion of said circuit in thermal transfer relation with one of said walls, said member constituting an intercepting baflie for moisture-laden air tending to enter said compartment. I

6. In refrigera ing apparatus, a refrigerated chamber, an evaporator in said chamber shaped to afford in the bottom thereof a top access low temperature compartment for frozen foods, said evaporator having an active portion extending upwardly in the chamber, and a shelf containing a .closed refrigerant circuit removably supported in said chamber in an elevated position with respect to and overlying said compartment and with a portion of said circuit in thermal transfer relation with the said active portion of the evapoversely affecting the efiiciency of'the refrigeration.

I claim:

1. In an evaporator for refrigerating systems, a main evaporator structure, a detachable shelf comprising a bottom wall and oppositely disposed sidewalls, means operatively associated with the side walls for slidably supporting the shelf in the rator.

7 '7. In refrigeration apparatus including refrigerated wall surfaces defining a chamber, a shelflike structure extending between said wall sur-' faces and providing a partition dividing said chamber into sub-compartments, said shelf-like structure including a-closed refrigerant system having an evaporator portion and a condenser portion, said condenser portion being arranged 8 in heat exchange relation with portions of said refrigerated wall surfaces. REFERENCES CITED 8. In refrigeration apparatus including refrig- The fouowm r f n erated wall surfaces defining a chamber, a partime of this f. ere ces are of record in the tion extending between and supported by said a wall surfaces and dividing said chamber into UNITED STATES PATENTS sub-compartments, said partition including a Number Name t closed refrigerant system hav g an v po 2,022,570 Munters Nov 26 1935 portion and a condenser po ti n, aid Condenser 2,282,342 Preble May 12 1942 portion being arranged in heat ex h n e rela io 10 2,310,117 Reeves Feb. 2: 1943 with the adjoining supporting portion or said refrigerated wall surface.

FRANK D. PEL'I'IER. 

